S-Clarke

There's no denying that we've regressed, I don't disagree. I've just kinda accepted the situation as it's not going to change. It's been a decline since Koeman left, but massively accelerated once Gao took full control and we had Reed and Wilson overseeing the clown years. We wasted so much money, maybe on the naïve thought investment would top that up, but it never did. I know people argue that Gao 'keeps out of the way, and lets the guys run the club' - but bollocks to that. The bloke has been a charlatan since day one, hasn't ever shown any interest, hasn't ever shared any plans. The proof is in the pudding - the regression of the squad and the sale of players to 'mid table' teams just so we can 'compete' to keep our heads above the water is his legacy. Oh, and he still hasn't muttered a single word to the fan base in what must be 5 years of ownership. Relegation is only ever around the corner with a model like this, but we just have to hope and pray that new ownership comes before relegation. Otherwise it could get a little bit messy.

What if we financially can't do that? That's not a fault of the club. It's a fault of the external non-ownership we've been lumbered with. We apparently offered Ings 100k, going to make him our best paid player. If Villa have offered him more than that then good on them, they can swim into the sunset paying £120k for a 29 year old. We couldn't sustain that.

No one is denying that. Our goal is to remain competitive through creative means, thus selling players where we see fit which then allows us to evolve certain things. It's not sustainable, not at all. But...we have no choice. Until we get new ownership this is how we have to operate because we have no input or help from whoever this owner is. Dump and run is all he's done, same as KL, she's as guilty. Martin and co are certainly not operating a shambles - they're holding it all together pretty well given the ridiculous constraints they've had placed upon them by the shambles beyond this country.

If you have a look at Armstrong and watch him, you'd be mistaken for thinking you're watching Ings. They play a very similar game, look very similar players. His goal totals, albeit at a lower level, are huge. The fee, if that is the fee, is way too much and we've overpaid...but that doesn't mean he isn't a suitable replacement.

That is a hell of a lot of money for him if true, and pretty much the entire budget gone on one player. Overpaid if that's the fee. 15m tops for me.

Leicester have made an offer as well? That's new news. Explains why he's literally been no where near the squad if there are two genuine transfer bids hanging around.

What is it with coaches and Redmond? Even Puel came in and tried to tell us he was like 'Henry'. He must look like some sort of prime Henry in training or something, but he's absolutely hopeless when push comes to shove and the pressure is on.

Seriously, sort yourself out. Posting bollocks like that. Have a word.

FT - 1-0. Pretty flat game all told, but a decent run out. Not much more to say about it.

Probably. I don't think we can operate like that, too risky.

To be fair to Jack he's come on leaps and bounds under Ralph, definitely improved as a player. Not first choice, but we're not getting a better squad CB than him.

Redmond is still as infuriating then. Overthinks too much, hangs on too long. chance gone.

The sub situation is really odd, would love to hear the explanation around that.

Cracking goal that, really good break from the back, through the middle.

They're doing what we did when we sold Lallana, Lambert, Lovren, Chambers, Shaw etc and are reinvesting quickly in players who will arguably add more quality to their entire squad, rather than just going ahead and looking for a straight replacement for Grealish. The reinvestment of the fee before it's even confirmed is showing ambition.

We're not spending £30m on a striker. £15m tops.

We might be able to move now though, unless this one has sadly got too advanced.

Sounds like Dean Hammond. He's been on busy saints duty today, what with the star studied Calshot kit unveiling this morning.

31st Aug. About 3 and bit weeks left. I reckon we've got Vestergaard to ship out as well.

It was okay, as above. Nothing special really. I think Levante have had the better chances, bit boring all in.

How would we have moved in on our primary targets in 2020 when we clearly have to sell before we can even come close to signing another player? The 'board' and the 'scouting (recent scouting)' is being thrown under a bus, when it's the ownership that's the problem. I see it as two separate elements - Board doing as well as they can out of a shit situation, and ownership who have in essence dumped and run and aren't providing any support. That makes it very hard for us to plan or to even proactively prepare for departures.

I don't think many people are saying it won't make us weaker, he was our stand out player. His goals kept us up last season, they kept us out of a relegation battle the season before. But one player doesn't make a club. It didn't when we had Lambert, Shaw, Lallana, Chambers, Lovren etc. We'll miss him but we owe it to the club to try and evolve from this situation. There are other players out there, and maybe we can use this fee to also improve other aspects of our game so we don't concede as many goals. I'd be interested to bounce this thread in January just to see how it's all panned out.

That comes down to money though doesn't it.

Been our best player so far, absolutely.

Not a clown club, but clown ownership - yes. The club are having to make the best of this shity ownership situation in order to try to remain competitive. Not sure what you expect us to do to be honest. £30m for someone with a year left is just a no brainer in my eyes. Letting him go for free would have been 100 times worse. I have more confidence in the scouting now than I did under Wilson, we've picked up some gems like Diallo, KWP, Salisu who are more in line with what we used to buy....